My journey to lose 160 pounds and to finally be able to wear a bathing suit (and look good!) on the beach.

Bella’s AIF: Hiking the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail

One of my main goals for my Hawaiian vacation was to fill my time alone with as many fitness adventures as I could. Since Oahu offers so many different options, decided to do a bit of research and discovered that a 30-minute drive would bring me to the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail.

There’s something very intriguing to me about lighthouses. They’re literally guides for sailors at night, and maybe because of all the novels I’ve studied, there’s something so romantic to me about them. I never realized how drawn to lighthouses I am until this trip, but I am going to make it a point to go to the local lighthouses we have in the San Francisco area when I get back home.

When I looked up info about the trail itself on my Trail Advisor app, it said that it was a paved trail that offered a steady incline to the top, easy to navigate for people of all fitness levels. I knew I could make the trek, and the promise of the views along the way were all I needed to decide that this was my Tuesday morning outing.

Getting to the trail by car was an easy, beautiful drive, and because I got there early, around 8:30am, parking was a breeze. (I’ve been on California time throughout my trip, meaning I’m waking up at 3am local time).

The hills surrounding the trail were lush and green, and the path itself was very easy to navigate. I put on some music, and started my assent. I was a steady incline, enough to keep my heart rate going the entire way.

Before too long, I saw the ocean peeking out among the brush, and if these were the views at the start of my journey, I was anxious to see what awaited me at the top. Between my music and these views, I think I was smiling from ear to ear the whole way up.

It was right around this point when the breezy morning turned super windy, and the hat I’d been wearing to protect my face from the sun flew off my head! Luckily, I was able to snatch it from the ground before it flew away.

I walked for a while holding the hat with one hand and my iPhone in the other. Every time I stopped to take a photo, the hat flew off – about 4 times total. Until I remembered that I could tighten it in the back.

The water below me was so blue, the sky so clear – as I walked the trail I couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky I was to be living this life. I’d decided that this vacation was my reward for all my hard work over the past year in accomplishing so many of my weight loss goals. This hike wouldn’t have been half as enjoyable 132 pounds ago. I would’ve been severely out of breath, concerned about whether or not I would make it all the way to the top, and not living in the moment and enjoying all of this natural beauty all around me. Instead, I soaked it all in and truly felt blessed to be at this point in my life.

Before too much longer, I was at the top of the trail, looking down at these stunning views of the surrounding area.

It was so windy at the top that I nearly lost my iPhone capturing this shot, but it was worth it, even if it is a bit blurry, I think it helps capture the wind whipping all around.

And finally, the view I’d been waiting for all day – the lighthouse!

It was smaller than I thought, but a true jewel on that hilltop. I love this picture so much that I’ve made it my wallpaper on the phone.

I hiked to the top of this hill, which is amazing to me!

To offer some perspective, the parking lot is in the middle of the photo. I took this about halfway back down the trail.

There’s really no other word for this hike than glorious. It offered everything I love – views of the ocean, a great workout, and the chance to remind myself how far I’ve come and how lucky I am.

After the hike, I noticed a spot around the corner from the parking lot that was a bit of a hidden beach, filled with black volcanic rocks where I could perch and watch the white-tipped waves crashing. It reminded me a of a place near Half Moon Bay that’s really special to me. Somehow being here all alone with no other souls in sight made it all the more special, like it was a secret spot just for me.

I shot this quick video soon after I’d sat down on the rocks. I don’t know what I was doing with the camera angles, but I’m glad I got a bit of video:

I don’t know for sure that these rocks are the remnants of a volcano, but given that I’m in Hawaii, that’s the story I’m going with. I sat on the rocks for about 30 minutes, just taking in the majesty and power of the ocean. I’ve always been drawn to the ocean, there’s something very spiritual about it for me.

If you look carefully about halfway up the hill in the distance, you can spy the little lighthouse.

Even though the lighting is bad and you can hardly see my face, I wanted to make sure that I captured the fact that I was there on what was a magical morning.

3 Responses

Bella, what an amazing, amazing day. I could absolutely feel your joy. There is something incredibly powerful about the ocean and I’m drawn to it just as much as you are. Thank you for sharing your happiness. I’ve never been to Hawaii but oh my gosh do I want to go for sure now!!